Show case



Jan. 4, M27, TLMBA? J. E. MULLEN SHOW CASE Filed Sept. 1, 1925 "um I 2 INVE/Y TOP.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

UNITEDsTATEs PATENT OFFICE,

ilOHN E. MULLER, OF'BAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO B. In. J'UDELL AND COMPANY, A CORPORATION CALIFORNIA.

SHOW CASE.

Application filed September 1, 1152s. Serial no. bases.

My invention relates to a new and improved article of manufacture compnsmg a show-case for exhibition and sale of certain classes of merchandise wherein a sliding top portion operates in conjunction with a pivotally mounted or hinged back portion of sa1d show-case to'move the said top portion or member rearwardly and the front edge thereof upwardly to easily and qulckly render accessible the interior of the said show-case from the front thereof. v

The primary object of m 1nyent1on is to provide a new. and improve art1cle of manufacture comprising a new and lmproved show-case for the exhibition and sale of merchandise.

A further object is to provide a new and l improved show-case arranged to normally closed and which may be easily and quickly operated to remove the top of said show-case m such a manner that the 'top thereof may be moved to render accessible the lnterior of said show-case from the front thereof, in

order to facilitate personal selection of contained merchandise by a prospective customer.

Another object is to provide a new and improved article of manufacture of the character set forth, which may be easily and 3 readily opened to render the same accessible from the front portion thereof without the use of levers or other complicated operating mechanism.

A still further object is to provide an improved show-case arranged to permit the personal selection and extraction of goods from the front thereof by a purchaser, but only when operated by an attendant or clerk in charge of sales.-

A still further object is to provide a new and improved show-case of the type described wherein the contained merchandise may be'fully disclosed and exhibited, and normally inaccessible but rendered accessible onl by an authorized attendant.

l accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which Fi 1 is a transverse sectional view of my 1mproved show-case; in a closed and 66 locked position;

ports 4, will lower the top Fig. 2 is a similar view, with one of the shelves removed, disclosing in full lines the full open position of the said showcase and Fig. 3 is .a broken rear view of the showcase disclosing a portion of the interior thereof.

Referring to the drawings numeral 1 is used to designate .in general a show-case, preferably 0 the type where the top is inclined upwardly toward the rear in order to prevent or discourage the placing of articles upon the top of said show-case.

The show-case 1 is preferablyof the open top type and has a transparent front piece 2 and also a sliding transparent or glass top member 3 slidably mounted upon a air of arcuate supports 4 within each insi e surface of the end portions 6. The upper surfaces of the arcuate supports are provided with sllghtly projecting rollers 7 in order to reduce friction between the sliding top member 3 and the supports 4 to a minimum.

The end pieces or portions 6 are rigidly connected together, 1n order to maintain the1r parallel spaced relation, by means of a suitable bar 8 which also serves as a sto to limit the rearward movement of the top member 3, as disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and in a manner'herelnafter more full set forth.

T e rear 'edge of the top member 3 is pivotally or hmgedly connected to the top edge of what I term a back portion 9 in turn plvotally mounted or hingedly connected at 1ts lower edge to the rear portion of the show-case 1, as at 11, whereby the to member will be at first moved longitudina y, being substantially tangent to the curve descr bed by the top edge of the back "portion 9 during the first portion of its movement 05 when being opened, and then as the rear edge of said top member 3follows the top edge of the back portion 9 the said top member 3 will be dragged or pulledover the arcuate supports 4 and anti-frictional rollers 7 in the upper surface thereof, which movement, by reason of the arcuate shape of the sup.- orrear edge of said top member 3 and simultaneously raise or elevate the front edge of said top member 3 as disclosed in the various dotted ositions and full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In other words, the upper surface of the arcuate supporting bars act as a means for continually moving rearwardly the location of the pivotal point upon which the top member 3 is tilted as said top member 3 is moved rearwardly on saidarcuate supports 4 when the back portion 9 is moved upon its pivot 11. When the back portion 9 has been fully opened to the position disclosed in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings the top lnember 3 will be also fully opened with its back and front edges lowered and raised, respectively to render accessible the interior of the showcase 1 from the front thereof to facilitate selection of contained merchandise by a customer. v

The movement of the top member 3 during such opening is limited to prevent the back portion 9 and top member 3 from dropping downward back of the show-case 1, by means of suitable hook members 12 fastened on each end of the-under surface of the top member 3 arranged, when in the position indicated in full lines of Fig. 2 of the drawings, to engage the bar 8 and thereby prevent further rearward movement of said top member 3.

In order to prevent unauthorized raising of the front end or edge of the top member 3, by moving said top member 3 upon its pivotal oint as represented by the hinge 14 with 'w ich its rear edge is connected to the to edge of the back portion 9, I have provi ed battens or lugs 16 on the inner surfaces of the end pieces 6 of the show-case 1 and near the front portion of said showcase which battens or lugs 16 are engaged by off-set members 17 mounted upon the under surface of said top member 3 and adjacent the front edge thereof.

As the first portion of the opening or last portion of the closing movements of the top members 2 are longitudinal sliding movements, as hereinbefore set forth, it is obvious that the offset member 17 will easily move longitudinally to said batten 16 to disengage and engage. respectively, during said opening and closing movements.

When the offset member 17 is in engaging v relation with said batten or lug 16 it is obvious that the front edge of said top member cannot be raised to provide ingress to the interior of the show-case 1.

In order to further prevent unauthorized entrance into the interior of said show-case 1 from the front thereof by moving the said top member 3 rearwardly, I have provided suitable securing devices 18 secured adjacent the upper edge of the back portion 9 which normally engage component parts 19 on the backsurface of said show-case 1.

These devices may be of any suitable type of spring catch and may beconnected by suitable connecting rods or wires 21 to an annular flange 22 of a suitable handle 23 pivotally mounted at the approximate center of -the u per portion of the'back portion 9 where y said securing, devices or spring catches 18 and 19 may be released to permit an opening movement of the parts 3 and 9.

A door 24 may be provided in therear portion of the show-case 1 whereby access may be-had to the interior of said show-case without operating the top member 3.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower end to said show-case; a top member slidably mounted upon the upper portion of the show-case and having its back edge hingedly connected to the u per edge of the back portion, whereby the ront portion of said top member may be moved upwardly and backwardly when the said back portion is moved on its pivotal point to render accessible the interior of said showcase from the front thereof.

2. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case having a rearwardly and upwardly inclined top; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower edge to the back of said show-case; and a top member slidably mounted within the upper inclined.

portion of said show-case and having its 7 rear edge pivotally connected to the top of the pivotally-mounted back portion whereby the front of said top member may be moved upwardly and rearwardly when said back portion is moved on its pivotal point to render accessible the interior of said show-case from the front thereof.

3. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case having an open top; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower end upon the rear portion of said show-case; an arcuate support mounted within each side of said show-case; and asliding top member mounted within the open top of the show-case and resting upon said supports and having its rear edge pivotally connected to the upper edge of the pivotally mounted back portion, whereby the front edge of said sliding top member may be moved rearwardly and upwardly when said back portion is moved upon its pivotal point to rein der accessible the interior of said show-case.

4. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case having an open top; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower end upon the rear portion of said show-case; an arcuate support mounted within each side of said show-case; and a sliding top member mounted within the open top of the show-case and resting upon said supports and having its rear edge pivotally connected to the upper edge of the pivotally mounted back portion, whereby the front edge of said sliding top member may be moved rearwardly and upwardly when said back portion is moved upon its pivotal point to render accessible the interior of said showrearwardly when said back portion is moved on its pivotal point to render accessible the interior of said show-case; and means mounted upon the said top member to engage the bar and thereby limit the rearward movement of said top member.

6. A new article of manufacture comprising a. show-case; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower edge to said show-case; a top member slidably mounted within the top of said show-case and having its back edge hingedly connected to the upper portion of the back portion. whereby the said top member may be moved rearwardly and its front edge raised when said back portion is moved upon its pivotal point; and means for preventing the front edge of said top member from being raised while in closed position.

7 A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower edge to said show-case;

a top member slidably mounted within the top of show-case and having its back edge hingedlv connected to the upper portion of theback portion whereby the said top member may be moved rearwardly and. its front edge raised when said back portion is moved upon its pivotal point; and means for prventing the front edge of said top member from-being raised while in closed position; and means for limiting the rearward movement of said member.

8. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case having an open top and having the top side portions thereof inclined upwardly toward the back thereof; a back portion pivotally connected at its lower edge to the back of said show-case; a pair of arcuate supports mounted upon the insides of the side portions thereof atop member resting on said supports and having itsrear edge pivotally connected to the top of the back portion whereby the said top member may be moved rearwardlyand its front edge elevated when said back portion is moved portion on its pivotal point to open said show-case and to render accessiblethe interior thereof; b means for l1m 1t1n the rearward movement of said top mem er; and means for preventing the front edge of said top member from being raised when said top member is inn closed position.

9. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case a back portion pivotally connected at its lower edge to the rear portion of said show-case; a top member slidably mounted upon the portion of said show-case and having its rear edge pivotall connected to the top of said back portion whereby the front edge of said top membermay be moved rearwardly and then upwardly when said back portion is moved upon its pivotal point to open said show-case and render accessible the interior of said showcase, from the front thereof; and means for normally preventing movement of thevback to lock the top member in closed position.

10. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case; a back portion pivotally connected at its lower edge to the rear portion of said show-case; a top member slidablv mounted upon the upper portion of said show-case and having its rear edge pivotally connected to the. 'top of the said back portion whereby the front edge of said top member may be moved rearwardly and then upwardly when said back portion ismoved upon its pivotal point to open said show-case and render accessible the' in-- terior of said show-case from the front thereof; and means for normally preventing movement of the back ortion to lock the top member in closed position; and means for preventing the front edge of the top member from being raised while in closed position.

11. A new article of manufacture comprising a show-case; a back portion pivotally mounted at its lower end to said showcase; a top member slidably mounted upon the upper portion of the show-case and having its back edge hingedly connected to the upper edge of the back portion; and means secured in connection with the ends of the case and normally supporting the top member whereby the front portion of said top member will normally be moved upwardly and backward- 1y when said back portion is moved on its pivotal point to render accessible the interior ofthe show-case from the front thereof.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

JOHN E. MULLEN.

Ill 

